Emergency child care: your baby suddenly won't respond to you

Sometimes babies get sick super fast or have a run-in with something that may make them sick (i.e. a poison) and it can be scary. What happens:  Your baby, who has seemed perfectly fine and peppy all day is suddenly tired, looks ill, or won't respond to you. What to do:  Evaluate the situation...

1. Did your baby just fall down?
2. Has she been eating and drinking normally all day?
3. Has she had vomiting or diarrhea or a lack of wet diapers?
4. Is she on a medication? Sometimes a medication can make a baby suddenly sleepy and less responsive.
5. Did you leave the room, come back, and find something odd - for example, your baby got a hold of a plant, or maybe swallowed something small.
6. What else do you see? Anything that alerts you to a problem?

What next: If your baby is REALLY totally unresponsive - which means she's laying there, not looking at you, not moving, check her breathing. If she's not breathing, start CPR. If she's breathing, but not responsive, call 911. If your baby is a little responsive, i.e. not unconscious, but looks like she's having trouble breathing - make sure she's not choking on anything. If your baby fell down, feel off of something, or hit her head, BUT she's semi-responsive take her to the ER.If this happens and she's not responsive, but is breathing, call 911. If your baby has irregular breathing, a very rapid heart beat, or a high fever and is mostly unresponsive, head to the ER. For more emergency baby situations read:

• What to do if your baby eats…
• When to call an ambulance for your baby
• Emergency child care: what to do for a cut tongue or cheek
• Poison prevention tips for babies and toddlers
• What should be in your emergency kit